You Can't Take The Sky From Me
by xSweetSerenityx
Summary: M/I plus some other couplings. Part three of three. An unnivited visitor makes an appearance in this flashback filled fic. Takes place a while after the BDM. Enjoy! I know I enjoyed writing it.
1. Part 1

**I dont own 'em. They belong to Joss**

**XxXxX**

Your crew is dead Mr. Reynolds. You'd be better off to give up I think." said the rough accented voice.

The words stung but he refused to believe them. "You've always been a liar Niska. I've never believed you an' I don't plan on startin' now." Mal spat the blood from his mouth onto the boot of a large thug.

Mal figured they'd been torturing him for goin' on thirty-six hours. It was painful. What hurt worse was the thought that the remainder of his crew was dead. It had been over two years since they'd lost Wash and Book but the pain was still sharp. Losing another or several others would be unbearable for the captain. As he slowly blacked out he recalled a memory from only a few weeks ago.

_"Cap'n! Cap'n!" cried the mechanic._

_"What in the gorramn hell is goin' on in my kitchen?" yelled the man as he walked into the dining area. "Simon, what happened?" he asked taking in the sight before him. His wife laying on the floor and the doctor crouched beside her._

_"Contractions started a few moments ago. Help me carry her to the infirmary." said the doctor._

_"Come on, bao bei." Mal said lifting his wife into his arms. "It's time."_

_"Mal it's too soon." she said into his neck before crying out loudly._

_"Don't worry Inara it'll be fine. Jus' let the doctor check you out." he kissed her forehead as he laid her down on the exam table._

_"Captain, I'll need a few moments to do a thorough exam. Kaylee?" he called indicating for his wife to remove the man from the room._

_"C'mon Cap'n." she lead him out of the infirmary after he kissed his wife one more time._

_He waited outside, pacing. The sweet lull of Kaylee's voice as she sang to the infant in her arms was somehow soothing to the captain. "Is it hard?" he asked._

_"Givin' birth?" she asked with a small laugh. "It's the most painful thing in the 'verse. An' I been shot once."_

_"No." he said with a pensive smile. "I mean being a parent."_

_"You'd be surprised how naturally it comes." she smiled at the small bundle in her arms._

_"And if it doesn't?" he asked._

_"It will." she said surely. "You've been a daddy since the first day you had this ship. Congratulations, Captain. It's a girl. Her name's Serenity." The woman smiled, a beautiful glint of motherhood in her eyes._

_"Captain." The voice startled him. As soon as he recovered he rushed to the doctor. When he reached the infirmary door Inara hobbled out. He looked at her confused._

_"Should she be doing that?" he asked, pointing to his wife._

_"Oh shut up and help me to bed." Inara grumbled._

_"It was braxton hicks contractions." said the doctor. "Flase alarm." he added at the captain's confused look._

_"So, no baby?" he asked._

_"Seriously Mal." sighed Inara with exasperation. "What do you think false means? We've been through this before."_

_"Of course, bao bei. Let's go to bed." he lead her to the passanger dorms where they'd been sleeping for the safety of her and the baby._

The painful scream echoed in the small room as electricity shook his battered body.

"Mr. Reynolds you are losing my patience." Niska said as a goon detached the electrical clamps.

"It seems... we have somethin' in common, Al." Mal struggled to gain breath.

"Yes, perhaps this is so." he said. "But I have a life ahead of me where as you have none."

"That's where your wrong you sick son of a bitch." Mal spat in the man's face. He was cracked suddenly, however expected, across the face by the back hand of a large thug.

"You see Reynolds. Life is a gift deserved for those with purpose and power. You have neither." At Niska's comment Mal went insane with laughter. Niska nodded to his thug who elbowed the captain in the temple, knocking him unconcious.

_"Wo de mah." he breathed._

_"You like it?" Inara asked, twirling to give him the full effect of her silk nightgown. It was a peach color. A color she knew accented her features the most. He stood and crossed the room to where she stood next to the changing screen she had placed in his room a few months ago._

_"You're beautiful, Mrs. Reynolds." he said, placing his hands on her hips. He stroked the silky fabric as she spoke._

_"You're not so bad yourself, Mr. Reynolds." she smiled as he bent and kissed her passionately._

_It had been over a week since they'd returned from their honeymoon but as far as the couple was concerned it hadn't ended._

_"Mal, we need to talk." she sighed, pushing him away. She sat on the edge of their bed waiting for him to sit beside her._

_"Darlin' you're startin' to worry me somethin' fierce." she smiled slightly, grabbing his hand and pulling him to her. He saw the glint of tears in her eyes and moved with greater speed. "Bao bei, tell me what's wrong."_

_"Nothing." she smiled as a tear slipped down her cheek. "Everything's fine. At least I think it will be."_

_"Then why with the tears?" he asked, stroking her cheeks with his thumbs. She reached her hand to his wrist and firmly pressed it to her face._

_"Mal, I-" she swallowed. "I think I'm pregnant." her smile faded as she awaited either his happiness or disappointment._

_"A baby." he fought for words. "Huh." Probably not the best choice, he thought a little too late._

_"Huh?" she got up as she spoke. "That's all you have to say to your pregnant wife?"_

_"All I mean is let's just see the Doc 'fore we do anything irrational." he said calmly._

_"Irrational?!" she yelled. "Are you saying having a baby with me would be irrational?!"_

_"No, bao bei. Let's go see Simon. That's all I'm saying." he grabbed her arm in an attempt to lead her out of the bunk._

_"Fine." she jerked her arm away. "Let's go."_

_They climbed out of the bunk and walked the few paces to where Kaylee and Simon slept. Mal called down and a few moments later Simon climbed out, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. Once they were in the infirmary Mal explained the situation while Inara sat, cold shoulder to Mal._

_"Well, I'll do a blood test." he turned to retrieve a few instruments. "Inara." She held out her arm as she turned her head to glare at Mal. Simon laughed at the display; which reminded him of how River once treated him during her inoculations. "Give me a few minutes." said the doctor._

_"'Nara you can't stay mad at me forever." he laughed slightly._

_"Shows how well you know your wife." she retorted._

_"Inara, I-" he was cut off._

_"Okay." said Simon, reading from a print out. Inara grabbed Mal's hand as he wrapped his arm around her shoulder. She leaned in clutching Mal's shirt. "I'm sorry." the doctor apologized. "Your not pregnant." Inara placed her head in her hands and began to sob. "I'll leave you two alone. You know where to find me." Simon said leaving the couple alone in the infirmary._

_Mal ran his hands through his hair as he paced the room. He finally threw his back against a cabinet and slid to the floor. He tucked his knees to his chest and rested his head on his arms._

_"Are you happy, now?" she asked harshly. "Crisis averted, captain." Tears flowed freely from her eyes as she crossed the room to stand in front of him._

_"You think this makes me happy?" he shot back. For the first time in her relationship with the captain she saw tears in his eyes._

_"In the bunk you said-"_

_"You didn't give me a chance to say anythin'." he sighed. "I just don't- didn't want to get my hopes up s'all. Hell 'Nara any man'd be happy ta father your children."_

_"Oh Mal." she sat next to her husband and rested her head against his shoulder._

_"You think we'll get through this?" he asked fearing her answer._

_"Mal, many couples have false alarms. Usually it makes married couples stronger." he kissed her hair._

_"You really want a baby soon?" Mal asked._

_"As long as it's YOUR baby, I don't care when he comes along." she smiled up at him._

_He thought for a few moments before chuckling slightly. "A son." Suddenly he stood. "Get up."_

_She stood, still holding his hands, using her strength to pull herself up. In one smooth motion she was cradled in his arms. "Mal, what-"_

_"Inara life's too short. If this has shown me anything it's that this isn't jus' somethin' we both want, it's somethin' we can do together." he kissed her again with all the passion he possessed._

"Your life will be short lived, Mr. Reynolds." Niska said confidently. "Although you see through my lies, our time together is almost finished so you must be awake please."

"Five... five more minutes?" Mal breathed.

"You're a funny man, but I think you may need this wasted breath for the words which will be your last." Niska smirked as his thugs prepped another and most likely last form of torture Mal would receive.

There was a grinding of a metal torture device signaling Niska that the thugs were ready. "You will die Mr. Reynolds. You will never see your crew and family again. Don't worry, I will make sure your ship never flies without its captain." The thugs approached either side of their victim. "Any last words for the infamous Malcolm Reynolds?"

Mal raised his bruised and bleeding head. He looked at the men and the torture device before holding his gaze on Niska. The strength of his stare made the so-called "powerful" man squirm nervously. "You can take my family, you may take my life..." he paused. "but you can't take the sky from me.

TBC???

**XxXxX**

**Hit that button and tell me what you think.**


	2. Part 2

**I don't own 'em cuz Joss is a god.**

**XxXxX**

"Mal, please." she begged.

"'Nara, I aint goin' in that frilly store." he said, she pulled at his arm as his feet remained firmly planted on the ground.

"I need maternity clothes." she stamped her foot and pouted.

"You can do that with me standin' out here." he crossed his arms defiantly, which didn't stop her from tugging on his coat. If it weren't for her being a little over eight months pregnant she'd have pulled him off his balance and most likely into the shop.

"You're impossible." despite her frustration she kissed his cheek before she turned to enter the shop. "Wait here."

As she walked into the clothing shop he mumbled to himself. "Ai ya woman. Jus' cos she married the captain she thinks she can order me around."

"Malcolm Reynolds, I presume." said a voice from behind the captain.

Mal turned to see a large man standing face to face. A man, Mal thought, looked too brutish to be speaking so formally. "That I would be. How may I help you?"

"You can come quietly with us." said another rough voice. The new man stepped out from behind the first thug. Then another came into view on the man's other side. Mal contemplated running for it as he reached for his gun. 'Inara was smart enough to know something has happened to him.' he thought. But he wasn't about to risk his pregnant wife's life. Across the street a vender's canopy collapsed. As the thugs looked, Mal pulled his gun and shot the man directly in front of him. He attempted to shoot the man on the left but was struck by an unknown person from behind.

Inara rushed from the store dressed in un-purchased clothing. "Mal?" she called. Inara quickly noticed the blood at her feet and the dead man on her left. When she noticed her husband was nowhere to be found she became frantic. "Mal?!"

_"Mal?" Inara called with a smile as she entered the dimly lit cargo hold. "What's the occasion?" Candles were lit and placed on various crates. A crate stood on its end to create a table while two smaller crates made chairs._

_"You are bao-bei." Mal said holding out his elbow to lead her to the crates. "You look beautiful."_

_"Sie-sie." she blushed. She had been trained to control herself but over the past few weeks her training failed her more and more. Inara knew he had noticed although she had not yet told him that she had given up companionship. Inara needed to keep this secret, to see if he could hold a relationship with her even if her job came into play. So far they'd been fine. It took a few months for the bickering to stop and even then they still had at least one good size fight a week._

_"Are you hungry?" he asked as he sat down in the seat across from her._

_"Depends on what it is and if you cooked." she smiled._

_"Kaylee helped a little." Mal smirked. "And it's pasta. Kaylee told me that ya secretly loved it." he whispered to her as if it was a secret between just the two of them._

_"Oh Mal, you have no idea. I haven't had the luxury of pasta in-" she thought._

_"Far too long?" he offered._

_"Exactly." she placed her napkin on her lap and began eating. Her eyes closed in bliss as she savored the taste. When she looked up she noticed Mal's eyes locked on her. "Shumma?" she asked as she wiped her mouth with the napkin._

_"You're beautiful even when you're stuffin' your face." he laughed but stopped abruptly when a napkin collided with his face. He stood and crossed to where she sat. For a moment she was afraid, of what? She didn't know. Inara only knew he was incapable of actually physically hurting her._

_"A dance, M'lady?" he asked, setting the napkin on the table as he held out his hand._

_"Mal, there's no music." she attempted not to smile._

_"I know." he replied plainly. He lead her a few feet away from the table. Mal pulled her close and gently began swaying. His hand guided her lower back as he twirled and dipped her. She rested her cheek against his chest as their rhythm slowed to a barely moving pace._

_"Bao bei?" he said quietly._

_"Hmm." was her only response as she pulled away just enough to look in his eyes. She became fearful once again as Mal grew slightly agitated._

_"I-um." he swallowed the lump in his throat, loudly. "I love you, Inara."_

_Tears pooled in Inara's eyes when she saw the love that radiated from his dark orbs. "I love you too, bao-bei." she cupped his cheek affectionately._

_Mal closed his eyes as he leaned against her warm gentle touch. Mal grabbed her hand firmly in his as he kneeled in front of her. At her gasp Mal nervously smiled at her._

_"Mal, I don't-" she was too choked up to continue._

_"Shh, bao-bei." he smiled warmly. "Since the moment ya walked onto my ship I knew you would become an important part of this ship as well as my life." Breathe, he reminded himself. "When ya left, much like this ship, I was lost in the black with no light to guide me home. You're my light, Inara. Ya make the stars shine and the Black turn white. And with you I'm home. There ain't much in the 'verse I been good at but you make me good and I think we can be good together, you can keep me good. And I know this don't erase our problems but I don't care. I can't stand you bein' with those men." he spoke the last word with complete disdain. "But if I get to spend the rest of my life with you by my side, that is all that matters." Mal was so caught up expressing his feelings he didn't hear her calling her name._

_"Mal!" Inara shouted. When he looked up she continued. "I love you too, but what are you getting at?"_

_"Oh. Well, I-" he inhaled sharply. "Inara Serra," he pulled out a box-less ring. "Will ya marry me?"_

_She gasped. "Y-yes." she smiled as he slipped the delicate rind on her finger._

_Mal stood and kissed her deeply. After a long passion filled kiss Mal pressed his forehead to hers. "Now don't go thinkin' jus' cos your the soon ta be Mrs. ya can go round givin' orders on my boat." They laughed together before he captured her lips with his once again._

_"What happened to the traditional 'what's yours if mine' belief?" he smiled at her question._

_"Not when it comes to MY boat." he kissed her again._

_"Mal... I need to tell you... something." she said between their progressively passionate kisses._

_Mal pulled away slightly with fear in his eyes. "What is it?"_

_"I quit the Guild, Mal. A few weeks ago. I stopped accepting clients right after Miranda. You were too busy being their captain to notice. Your love is all I'll ever need." she confessed. Inara could feel his happiness radiate from his body. She also felt her legs raise off the ground as he spun her around. They forgot about dinner and dessert._

Inara spun the silver ring around on her finger, it had two small diamonds with a larger one in the middle. Now, it was accompanied by a wedding band. "We need to find him." She said with little emotion.

"We will." said the ship's first mate.

"May I suggest," Simon offered. "Inara you need rest. It's been a long stressful day and you're in no condition."

"Simon, you actually expect me to rest with my husband missing? He could be dead!" she had had enough of just talking.

"Inara. I'll get on the cortex. Ask some questions and see what comes up." Zoe placed a reassuring hand on the woman's shoulder.

Inara left the room without saying another word. Once in hers and Mal's temporary bunk, she pulled out a small bag and placed a few items inside it. He had been afraid she'd hurt herself climbing into their bunk. With Simon and Kaylee raising baby Leah across the hall, the passenger dorms had become quite the family friendly place. She reached below the bed and pulled up a small box. _"If anythin' happens to me an' there's no one round to protect ya, use this."_ She remembered him saying to her. It was an interesting wedding present to say the least, but in its own way it was beautiful. She removed the gun from the box and placed several cartridges in the bag. Inara threw the strap over her shoulder as she turned to leave.

"What'd ya think your doin'?" The figure in the doorway startled Inara.

"Ai ya, Zoe. Don't do that to a pregnant woman." Inara said regaining her breath.

"Sorry, 'Nara. But what are you doing?" the first mate reiterated.

The woman sighed. "I can't just sit around here while my husband is missing."

"'Nara you can't do this by yourself."

"I can try."

"No. No, you can't." Zoe took a deep shaky breath. "It's worse than we thought."

"How much worse?" asked Inara sitting slowly down onto the bed behind her.

"Adeli Niska, worse."

"Pi hua."

_"'Nara what's wrong?" asked the mechanic, fear in her voice._

_"Kaylee, I need..." she screamed and doubled over in agony. "Mal, go get Mal."_

_The mechanic didn't ask any question, she ran out of the common room, through the mess, past the crew bunks, and up to the bridge door where Mal stood behind River talking about their current course._

_"Mal-" she attempted to catch her breath._

_"What is it lil Kaylee?" he walked to her, noticing the concern etched in her features._

_"Its 'Nara, I don't know wha-" she was cut off as the man flew by her and down the hall._

_Mal heard her sobbing halfway through the kitchen and began calling her before she entered his view. "Inara, what's wrong?"_

_"Mal." she sobbed as he came into the common room and rushed to her side. "The baby." Inara whispered._

_"C'mon, I saw Simon in the infirmary not ten minutes ago." He carried her as quickly as he could without falling. "Doc!"_

_"What is it? What happened?" Simon asked as he quickly got up and helped the captain with his wife._

_"I was having tea with Kaylee and I got these sudden painful cramps." she clutched her stomach as another one hit her._

_"Simon, what's wrong with her?" Mal asked. He held Inara's hand as he used the other to wipe hair from her face._

_"I can't be positive." he stopped while he filled a syringe with some drug._

_"Jus' tell me what ya think is goin' on." Mal said, his teeth clenched in frustration._

_Simon looked up into the man's eyes. "There could be complications." he said plainly._

_"Oh God." Inara began sobbing again._

_The doctor pulled aside the captain. "Mal if you don't calm her down things could get much worse. I'm going to do everything I can."_

_Mal nodded to the man who he'd come to respect before moving back to his wife's side. "Listen, bao-bei. Everything's gonna be fine. Let's talk about names."_

_"O-ok." her voice shook as she spoke._

_"What do you think for middle names?" he asked._

_"Nandi for a girl." he smiled at the remembrance of a mutual deceased friend. "And if it's okay with Zoe I thought Hoban for a boy." Mal's smile fell suddenly. "Is-is that alright?"_

_"Its perfect bao-bei." he kissed her forehead. "What about first names?"_

_Inara thought for a moment. "What about Bailey for a girl." she asked hopefully but smiled when Mal made a face of disgust. "Or..." she fished for another. "Jacqueline?"_

_"Jacqueline Nandi Reynolds." he repeated. "Not too bad. And a boy?"_

_"What about yours?" she asked._

_He smiled. "I don't think I could ever name a child Malcolm, 'specially after someone like me." Mal laughed. "Now I could see a pretty lil girl with yer eyes named Inara."_

_She returned his smile. "I don't think I want a daughter names after the best ex-companion in the 'verse."_

_Mal bent and kissed her again. "So we still need a boy name."_

_"What about Michale. It was my father's name._

_"Michale Hoban Reynolds." he contemplated. "It's perfect."_

_"Mmm. I agree." they kissed once again before the doctor's voice redirected their attention._

_"Inara, is the drug I gave you helping?" he asked._

_"Yes, actually I haven't felt anything since Mal and I started talking." she said sounding somewhat surprised._

_"What's wrong with my wife, Doc?" Mal asked nervously. Inara smiled at his over-protectiveness as she squeezed his hand._

_"As far as I can tell everything's fine." he sat down a few print outs to give his full attention to the couple. "Honestly Mal, this is YOUR child. I wouldn't be surprised if he was just kicking her." Inara broke into laughter along with the doctor while Mal stood with a mock hurt expression on his face. "Inara, I will need you to see you at least once a day for the rest of the week."_

_"That shouldn't be a problem." she spoke as Mal helped her off the metal exam table._

_"There's one problem, doc." the captain observed allowing the other two to stare at him dumbfounded. "How we gonna hide this from the rest of the crew any longer? Kaylee's gonna wanna know what happened an' you visitin' the doc everyday would be a tad peculiar."_

"Are you ready for that?" asked the doc.

"This plan has to work." Inara said sternly.

"I don' think a pregnant woman should be wieldin' no hand gun." Jayne put in.

"Jayne I'll be wielding a hand gun to your temple if you don't shut up." Inara's tone was so very Mal, Zoe's lips twitched into a tight smile.

"Jayne she does have a part." Zoe contributed. "She'll get a lot further in her condition that most of us would."

"I think the plan will work." said the Doctor from where he stood behind his sitting wife as she cradled their child. "Inara are you sure you want to risk the baby over this?"

"I love this baby." she addressed the whole crew now, Inara knew they all thought she was crazy. "More than anything but I can't do this without Mal."

**XxXxX**

**You know what to do…**


	3. Part 3

**Don't own 'em. They belong to Joss.**

**XxXxX**

"Congratulations are in order Mr. Reynolds." the thick accented voice said sarcastically. "You've managed to stay alive much longer than the last time."

"What... can I say Niska." he struggled to speak through his pain. "I been eatin' my protein."

Niska nodded to a thug who punched Mal square in the jaw. "Now, now Mr. Reynolds I was only trying to make polite conversation. No need for your pathetic jokes."

"I guess were not all as naturally humorous as yourself, Niska." Mal retorted with sarcasm.

_"Malcolm Reynolds, stop!" said the first mate to the captain. "Sir." she added. He had been pacing shuttle two since he'd gotten into his tux and it was making Zoe space sick._

_"I'll excuse your insubordination" he smiled. "but only cos your my Best Mate."_

_"That's very kind, sir." she adjusted his tie. "Sir, if I may say, I've never seen ya so nervous and it's a might creepifyin'."_

_"Thanks Zoe." he said sarcastically. He took a slow heavy breath. "I never felt this way before."_

_She smiled at the youthful look in her best friend's eyes. "I know what you mean." After a few moments of silence a knock came at the door. "Come in." she called._

_"It's almost time." Simon said, sticking his head in through the doorway._

_"Thanks Doc." Zoe responded. The young man nodded before closing the door and returning to where his sister stood in the cargo bay._

_"Let's go Sir." she walked ahead of him. Through the shuttle door, down the stairs and down the aisle to where a Shepherd stood beneath the alter._

_The only time, Mal thought, he'd seen the cargo bay almost match its current beauty was the night he'd proposed. The silk fabric leading to the alter was lined with white candles and littered with tiny red petals. Jayne stood on Mal's side while Simon and River stood on Inara's. At the click of shuttle one's door the crowd looked up. Kaylee exited in a lavender gown with a small bundle of red roses in her hands. Kaylee's smile was as wide as a crescent moon. Mal smiled at his mei-mei as she walked down the catwalk. Kaylee flashed her captain a wide grin before stopping at the top of the stairs. Mal waited, breathless for what felt like eternity. His gaze was locked on the motionless shuttle door. Then there she was. First the white bottom of her gown, then a delicate white glove on a railing, a bundle of roses, and then a beautifully veiled face._

_Inara's eyes were glued to the floor before her. She refused to look for fear her make-up wouldn't stand up to the tears. Her dress was the purest white any of them had ever seen. The train stretched out several feet behind her. The rest of the dress was simply elegant. The white silk was shimmering in the candlelight. A band of red lined under her breast and from the small of her back the edge of the train was lined with the same color around its edge. Her raven hair was in a bundle of curls atop her head. Inara's veil emerged from where her curls we gathered. The front of the veil covered just below her chin while the back flowed down below her waist. As she began her cross over the catwalk, Kaylee descended the stairs. By the time the mechanic reached the bottom, Inara had reached the top. It was an elegant dance that they two had practiced over and over._

_'This is the longest minute of my life.' Mal thought. After another agonizing moment Kaylee was standing before him with joyful tears in her eyes. "I love my cap'n." she said and kissed his cheek before moving to the other side of the alter. He gave her a loving smile before all the air escaped from his body and he stood breathless before his bride. Mal held out his hand for her to take._

_"What's the occasion?" he asked with a soft smile._

_"We are bao bei." Inara laid her delicately manicured hand within his large rough one._

_The Shepherd began the ceremony with a welcome and a poem. "Love is patient; love is kind and envies no one. Love is never boastful, nor conceited, nor rude; never selfish, not quick to take offense. There is nothing love cannot face; there is no limit to its faith, its hope, and endurance. In a word, there are three things that last forever: faith, hope and love; but the greatest of them all is love." After his speech came to a close Mal began his vows._

_"Inara, I never thought that livin' a life of a petty thief would get me to anything I ever wanted. I didn't know how wrong I was til I met you. In this life I found family, peace, home and you. It's funny how we both hate each others jobs but they're what brought us here today." Mal gave her an affectionate smile. "There ain't much I been good at in this 'verse cept my fightin skills which you aint too bad off in that category either, but we are the first thing I actually been good at. I vow to do that for the rest of my life." Mal turned around and took the small ring from Zoe with a shaky smile. "With this ring I thee wed." he placed the delicate gold band on her equally delicate finger._

_"Inara." nodded the Shepherd._

_She stood silent. It took Mal a moment to realize that she was trying to form words through the lump in her throat. Inara could feel his worry. She looked up into his eyes with a beautiful smile and joyful tears. When she saw a smile reach his gorgeous face she found the strength to speak. "Mal, I thought that my life was over the day I left Sihnon. The thought never occurred to me that my life was just beginning." she took in a shaky breath. "I was meant to spend my life giving love and expecting nothing in return. Mal you give me so much of your love when I expected to get nothing. I'm so very in love with you Malcolm Reynolds. I love who you are, what you do, I love your temper and how you think swears can fix any situation. I love your crew, your ship, your heart and soul. Any you're wrong Mal. Your job is a big part of what I love about you, I wouldn't change a scar on your body for anything."_

_"Well I would." Mal mumbled._

_Inara shot him a look. Even through her tears her stare was murderous. "And you're good at so many things. Your love for other people is so overwhelming. I vow to love you with all I have." She turned to Kaylee whose face was streaked with large tears. Kaylee handed her best friend the gold band. "Thank you mei-mei." Inara said softly before turning back to face Mal. "With this ring I thee wed." she placed the gold ring on Mal's large finger._

_"By the powers vested in me I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss your bride." the Shepherd stepped aside. Mal slowly lifted the veil and looked into the eyes of his beautiful wife. He wiped her tears with his thumbs before kissing her gently._

"Are we ready to do this?" Inara asked over her shoulder.

"As ready as well ever be." Zoe nodded.

"Lets do this." said Jayne.

"Alright. 'Nara you go in first. We'll follow behind." Zoe laid out the plan. "Everyone got their weapons?"

"Good to go." affirmed Jayne.

"We're here." said Inara as she moved from the cockpit of the shuttle to where Jayne and Zoe stood.

"'Nara get on the stretcher. Lets do this."

_"I can't believe what you're saying!" she yelled._

_"'Nara. I'm just tryin' to look out for you and our baby." Mal reached for Inara but she backed away clutching her stomach._

_"Don't touch me!" she screamed in a shrill voice that was unknown to Mal's ears._

_"Inara, please." he begged._

_"Mal you're asking me to leave you. How can you ask me to do this?" Inara searched his eyes for the answer his lips weren't providing._

_"I don't want you here during this deal. Simon and I both agree that you and Kaylee should take Alex in shuttle one. Got to Sihnon. See some friends and do some shopping. We'll call you back in a week or so." Mal was trying to stay calm for the baby's sake. "It's for your safety bao bai. Niska is a sick S.O.B. and who knows what he could do."_

_"Mal," her tone was softer and her cheeks burned from hot tears. "Simon says I've just entered my third trimester. How can you ask me to leave when I need you the most?"_

_Mal put on the most forceful front he could. "I ain't askin no more 'Nara. I'm tellin'." He saw the hurt look in her eyes, he saw it in her open mouth, and in the hands that clutched their unborn child._

_"Malcolm Reynolds you are a coward and a cold man. My child deserves better than you and so do I. Get out." her voice was eerily calm but her tears showed her true feelings. When Mal didn't move she began screaming. "Get out you pi gu! Get out!"_

_Mal walked by her and out of their bunk. Once he was out of view she fell to the bed in a heap of shaking sobs. After a few minutes Inara pulled herself together and began packing a bag with enough clothes to last for several weeks. 'Maybe this time I won't come back to you.' she thought._

_The two couples met in front of the shuttle an hour later. Simon hugged and kissed his wife and child before allowing them to board. Inara kissed Simon's cheek before boarding as well._

_"Be safe Simon." Inara said quietly. She entered the shuttle without turning and saying goodbye to her husband._

"If this plans gonna work, you two gotta be pretty convincin'." Zoe said to Jayne and Inara as they waited for Niska's men to open the door.

"Don't worry we'll be fine-AHHH!" Inara began screaming as the doors opened. Zoe carried the foot of the stretcher and Jayne carried the top.

"What's going on here?" asked a guard over Inara's screams.

"My wife!" Jayne yelled. "She's having the gorramn baby, at a very inopportune time might I add."

"Shut up you pi gu!" she yelled as she flung an arm back in an attempt to slap him. "You did this to me!"

"We had to abandon ship an; she just went into labor. We got no med supplies much less a doctor." explained Zoe.

"Um. Ok, follow me this way." the guard led them down the familiar hallways that Zoe and Jayne had once sprung Mal from before.

They waited to pass the room. All the while, Jayne comforting his screaming wife. The man in front of them looked back every few minutes. Zoe turned and nodded to Inara.

"It's coming!" Inara yelled.

"Set 'er down. We need to check her." Jayne said as they lowered the stretcher. "Go ahead boy." Jayne slapped the guard on the shoulder for encouragement.

"I-uh." the man stuttered. Suddenly Inara kneed the guard in the face knocking him unconscious.

"'Parently kids not ready yet." Jayne said as Zoe helped Inara off the stretcher and he loaded the guard on. Once the guard was out of sight the trio stood in front of the door to which Mal and Niska were: the torturing room.

"Jayne, bust down the door then step aside. 'Nara you gonna do this?" the group was pulling out weapons form under their clothing, mostly from Inara's extra padded stomach.

"That bastards gonna die." she cocked the large rifle. "Lets do this."

_"Zoe." Kaylee said in a cheerful voice. "Good to see ya."_

_"Hi Kayleebird. Is Inara there with you?" Zoe's tone was grave._

_"Yes. I'm here Zoe." Inara said coming up behind her friends with Leah in her arms. Inara instantly recognized Zoe's stoic features._

_"You need to get here quickly." she said simply._

_"Were only a little ways out." Kaylee responded._

_"See you soon." Zoe said before she clicked off the cortex._

_"Kaylee take us as fast as you can back to Serenity, dong ma?" Inara turned all her attention onto Alex hoping to keep her tears at bay. Although Kaylee could not, Inara was fully able to read Zoe's feelings behind the stoic mask she wore._

_After about an hour they docked with Serenity. Inara rushed from the shuttle as quickly as her swollen ankles would allow. When she reached the bottom of the cargo bay Zoe was walking through the far door. The warrior stepped aside as Inara rushed passed her_ _and through the door towards the infirmary. A confused Kaylee followed with a fussing infant in her arms._

_"Simon, what-" Inara gasped at the sight of her husband's beat and bruised body lying motionless on the table._

_"Inara whats going on?" Kaylee's voice faded as she saw her captain lying in the infirmary. Kaylee's fingertips came to rest on her lips as she gasped. Simon rushed to her side and hugged her deeply._

_Inara slowly walked to Mal's side. Taking his cold hand in her warmer one. "What happened?!" Inara yelled harshly at the doctor for no apparent reason other than that her husband was dying._

_"He was shot." Simon went into doctor mode as he left Kaylee to stand alone in the doorway. Zoe silently took his place next to Kaylee. "Several times. Once in his left shoulder, the second in his abdomen and the last: a graze on his right arm."_

_"And how is he now?" she asked, voice raised barely above a whisper._

_"Stable. We would have lost him if it weren't for Zoe." Simon nodded to the woman standing with his wife._

_Inara looked up at the woman and then back down at her husband. It wasn't much but Zoe saw the gratefulness in her eyes. "When will he wake up?"_

_"I imagine either late tonight or tomorrow. It'll be a few weeks before he's fully healed." Simon began reading printouts and checking Mal's vitals._

_"Could I be alone with him please?" Inara asked. Simon nodded his approval. "Kaylee will you bring me some linens and ask Jayne to bring me a cot. I don't think I want to sleep alone in our bunk."_

_The others didn't question her. "I could use some rest anyways. Call me over the comm if you need me. Inara, make sure you get some rest and some food. All this stress isn't good for the baby." Simon set down the printouts and followed his wife out of the infirmary._

_"I'm so sorry Mal." she finally allowed the tears to cascade down her soft cheeks. Inara cried until she fell asleep. She sat on a stool with her head on Mal's stomach, his hand still firmly within his._

_"When she woke the lights had been lowered for sleep and Mal was stirring beside her._

_"Inara?" the rough voice came from beside her. She shot upright in a second._

_"Mal? Mal how are you feeling?" she ran her hands over his cheeks and neck as if making sure he was real._

_"I feel like I been shot." he said groggily._

_"Oh, Mal." Inara feigned a smile._

_"Why Mrs. Reynolds. I do believe you've been cryin'." Mal turned his head to smile at her._

_"Mal, I'm so sorry for what I said. I know you were just looking out for us and I-" he cut her off._

_"Shhh, bao bei." he stroked her hand with his thumb. "I know. It's ok."_

_"No. No it's not. The things I said to you. Mal, I wasn't going to come back. I packed all I needed and I was going to stay." she swallowed the lump in her throat. "I didn't mean it. Any of it. Our baby needs you. I need you." Mal pulled her closer as her sobs shook her body. "You're the best thing that's ever happened to me."_

_"You're the best thing that's ever happened to me too bao bei." he kissed her hair. "An' this baby's gonna be the best thing that's ever happened to us."_

_"I love you Mal." she whispered._

_"I love you too." his voice was soothing to her. "Now get some rest."_

Inara heaved a heavy sigh. "Jayne, go!"

The large man kicked the door down and stood aside as told. It took only seconds for Inara to step forward, shoot Niska's guard in the forehead and then shoot Niska himself in the kneecap. Once the men were taken down Zoe rushed to untie Mal with Inara following shortly behind.

"Mal? Bao bei can you hear me?" Inara asked her semi-conscious husband.

"He will be... dead soon enough I think." Niska spat from where he clutched his knee on the floor.

"No, you will." Inara took her gun, aimed and fired. "Zoe can you get him?"

"Yea. Jayne stretcher!" Zoe shouted from within the room.

"I'm here Mal. We came." Inara continued to talk to him as they walked through the hallways, shooting anyone who would contest the escape. As they climbed back into the shuttle, Zoe headed for the cockpit.

"Simon prepare the infirmary for a patient." Zoe clicked the comm off. "We're only a little ways out." she said over her shoulder.

Inara sat beside Mal where he laid on the floor. "Oh God. Mal look what he's done to you. If you'd only gone shopping. "

"I ain't goin' in that frilly ship, woman." he mumbled through pained breaths.

A smile spread on her face but faded quickly as she let out a scream. Mal looked horrified. "Zoe. Tell Simon to prep for two patients." Inara said as calmly as possible through her gritted teeth.

"Inara, what is it?" Mal asked while checking her over for bullet holes.

"It's time."

When they docked with Serenity, Simon was there to assist Jayne with carrying Mal while Kaylee and Zoe helped Inara. They passed River as they entered the infirmary. "Zoe," Simon barked. "I need you to examine Inara and see how far a long she is. Have you ev-?"

"I've helped birth a few lil ones. Granted not since I was a teenager but as long as there's no complications, I should be fine." Zoe finished just in time for Inara to let out another scream.

"Great. Ok, everyone who isn't the captain, his pregnant wife, Zoe or me please leave." The crew shuffled out. Kaylee finished closing the curtains and then closed the door on her way out. Simon began cleaning Mal's wound as Zoe examined Inara.

"Doc she's pretty far a long." Zoe said as she went to get blankets and the incubator from the closet. "Nine centimeters, I think."

"Wo de mah." Simon continued working on the Captain as he spoke to Inara. "When did your contractions start?"

"This morning." Inara said trying to catch her breath.

"Zoe you need to come take care of Mal's wounds, this may get complicated." Simon removed his gloves and replaced them with new ones.

"Doc, move me next to my wife." ordered the captain. Together Zoe and Simon moved the tables next to one another. "Bao bei, we can do this." said Mal as he took Inara's hand.

Inara screamed. "You need to rest, Mal." she said through gritted teeth.

"We'll rest together when this is all over. With our baby beside us." Mal hissed as Zoe began stitching a deep wound.

"Inara this baby was ready to come a long hours ago." Simon scolded as he got supplies together.

"I couldn't have my baby without my husband. I'm strong but not that strong." she screamed again.

"Ok. Inara were gonna push now. When I count to five." Simon said calmly.

"Here we go bao bei. Just breathe." Zoe stopped her work so Mal could aid his wife.

"Ready? One-two-three-four-five. Push Inara!" she screamed as she did so. She clutched Mal's hand tightly making him momentarily forget about his other wounds. "Good." Simon smiled. "I can see it. Now, again. "One-two-"

"Three-four-five!" Inara said hurriedly for the doctor. She pushed and screamed again.

"Inara that was great. The shoulders are out you've just got one more push." Simon doctored.

Mal sat up and looked down to where Simon's hands were. Although he and Inara had been there as the godparents for Alex's birth this was much more real. "I see it. Our baby. You're almost there bao bei."

"Push!" Simon yelled.

Inara screamed one last time before collapsing backwards onto her pillow.

"Mal would you like to cut the cord?" The Captain nodded anxiously as he did as the Doctor instructed. Simon then carried the newborn over to the tiny exam table.

Mal sat back up with Inara waiting with bated breath for a baby's cry. Mal wiped the wet hair from Inara's face and kissed her temple as she panted. "I'm so proud of you darlin'. You did it." she smiled in return. Then they heard it, the sweet sound of their baby's cry.

"Congratulations Captain. It's a girl." the doctor laid the newborn in the man's large arms. "Do you two have a name picked out?"

"Jacqueline Nandi Reynolds." Inara said as she touched the small bundle. "She's so beautiful."

"Jus' like her momma." Mal smiled. "Blue eyes like her daddy though."

"All baby's have blue eyes when they're born, Mal." Inara informed.

"Well hers'll stay." he was so content. "Dark hair like her momma. She'll be a heartbreaker." Mal kissed the infants head before passing her to Inara.

"That she gets from both parents." said Zoe, making her presence known after her long silence.

The couple smiled. "It's time for rest now, sir." Zoe said with a glare.

"I agree." concurred the Doc. "You two Inara, its been a long day."

Inara handed the baby to Zoe who cradled her for a while before placing her in the incubator.

"I love you, Mal." Inara whispered, her eyes closed and head snuggled against Mal's chest.

"I love you too, bao bei." They fell asleep with the baby on Inara's other side.

_"You're a month old today lil one," Mal said as he looked into a tiny set of bright blue eyes. "I told you she had my eyes."_

_"You were right." Inara smiled as she laid one hand on the bundle in his arms and the other hand on his lower back as she looked over his shoulder at their child._

_They stood on the bridge of Serenity, looking out through the thick glass at the universe before them. "This is your 'verse little one. Your home. Welcome to Serenity. She'll protect ya. Keep ya warm and floatin'. If anyone tries to take her away from you jus' remember no one can take the sky from you."_

**XxXxX**

**Thanks everyone for reviewing. I thought I should let you guys know that I wrote this fic several years ago and posted it on But when I found this website I decided to copy as many as I could over. I skipped this one for some reason; which is sad cause it's my favorite one. I spent a lot of time spell checking and proof reading these before I posted them, so they could be exactly what I wanted. And for a little bonus, I can now tell you that there's a sequel… click that button and tell me what you think.**


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